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Published: November 29th 2009
So after Huanchaco we take the night bus which lasted 9 hours to Mancora, Its a very touristy town with pretty beach lots of kitesurfers and a few surfers. Lots of bars and Restaurants which kept us awake for near on 3 nights solid, so moved to a more quiet part of town to get some sleep! Not that much to do accept laze away the days on the beach. After 5 nights in Mancora we decided to head to Ecuador, it was meant to be a simple 8 hour bus journey which swiftly turned into 13 after delays at the border crossing, our first destination was Loja a pretty city on the south, not that geared for tourists but plenty to see from the magnificent cathederal to boys shining shoes and fighting in the park, only to be interuppted by the vicar who gave them a stern telling off! Also spotted some oddly coloured chicks which what I understand from the guy selling them they had been “dipped” very cute though shame I cant take one with me!
Next was Cuenca, still in the south of Ecuador a pretty city with beautiful cobbled streets and a magnificent cathederal,
also the birthplace and only place to get a genuine Panama hat, favoured by Charlie and Attenborough, visited the factory where Prince Charles was presented with one a couple of years back and tried on a superfino the most expensive hat in the facory all are handmade with a superfino taking 8 months to handcraft, most take a couple of months. Did the citys sightseeing taking in the museums and culture before making the 8 hour bus trip to our next stop, Banos in the heart of the Andes a beautiful spa town surrounded by the most massive mountains you've ever seen and covered in luch tropical trees and flowers close enough is a volcano that has been on red alert since 2004, there are trips to go and see in the evenings which we hope to make whilst here.
On our first day in Banos we hired out mountain bikes, and set off on the 61km journey to Puyo, up and down the Andes more down than up but the ups were the most hard thigh burning calf quenching journey ever! But the most fantastic scenery and beautiful waterfalls ever along the way! We didnt quite make it
to Puyo, starting at 10.30 am and finally giving in when the bus back to Banos stopped for us to get on but we must have done a good 50kms at least and are now paying the price with our aching limbs, my bike did not go into the lower gears and Darrens did not go into higher gears!!
The town is famous for its thermal spas which we are indulging in tomorrow first thing most looking forward to it!
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Barry
non-member comment
Great pics
Hi Sarah and darren, great pictures, keep on sending them in with your story's. Have you met anyone you know yet, quite often happens in far away parts. - JPM people ! All the same here, rain, rain rain rai, ra, rn, rn, r. Hope you are all well. Can you post us a chic back, blue... please.